Mobile navigation systems are slowly but surely becoming a part of the car audio landscape with nearly every major manufacturer having one in their line. The only exception is Sony who withdrew from the market a few years back, telling everyone they'd be back when the market is more mature.
But German company Blaupunkt believes now is that time and they have a pair of "the same only different" navigation systems in their lineup. A trip to Blaupunkt's USA home in Chicago this fall gave me some real road time with both of these systems as well as a chance to see their place.
At least on this side of the ocean, Blaupunkt has been known for their source units. A very strong OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) relationship in Europe gives them excellent resources to create some very reliable products for marks such as Mercedes Benz, Audi and Volkswagen.
Because of the ancient and convoluted street networks in Europe and Japan, navigation systems are commonplace there, and are sometimes one or two generations ahead of American counterparts. They can be simple voice-directed systems, or like the screen and menu-driven systems Americans are used to.
Sony (in Japan), Alpine, and Pioneer all make big screen-driven systems that require a significant investment but are also pretty fun to use. Blaupunkt first entered the American market with a second type: voice-guided navigation. The TravelPilot was first introduced to U.S. consumers in January 2000 at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
The Products - TravelPilot RNS 149The TravelPilot was a different way of using live GPS-based navigation. Instead of a dash-mounted screen to show you where you are, a voice, in combination with a small directional screen, would get you around. The idea being that you need to keep your eyes on the road at all times. As well, you don't need the navigation system as much as you think. Most of the time you're driving straight with turns taking up only a small percentage of the actual driving. Basically, do you really need to look at a screen to show you moving in a straight line?
The TravelPilot RNS 149 I sampled was installed in a new Dodge Durango. The TravelPilot uses conventional CD-ROMs to read its maps. The maps are also extremely detailed and very up to date. The company doing the maps actually drives all the roads to check on street lights, one way streets, tolls, even the number of lanes on the road. The U.S. is divided into nine territories with multiple states on each CD-ROM.
Being a German company, Blaupunkt has to do things a little bit differently. For instance, their menu system and general operations. This one might actually take some reading in the manual (an installer taboo) but it pays off. Once you're used to the operations, they are the same through all Blaupunkt products and you'll quickly learn to appreciate it.
The TravelPilot can find a specific address, an intersection or a location in its database. The database is massive, including gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, tourist attractions, motels and more. It also allows you to store some of your favorite places like home, work, or even a place you're driving by that looks good for lunch that you want to try later on.
Scrolling through the tourist attractions, I selected the Sears Tower in downtown Chicago, a good distance from Blaupunkt's suburban headquarters. Route planning is very quick thanks to a fast processor. Once laid in, a female voice tells you what to do next.
The TravelPilot makes the most of its dash space just like the Clarion AutoPC, with a large graphical display taking up nearly half the landscape. In place of a map, you see your next move on the screen. In my case it was a right turn arrow. It also tells what the name of the street where you're supposed to turn.